WHEREAS, New Jersey State Government has accelerated its actions in seeking improved methods of administration and promoting efficiency and economy in its operations; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature has passed and I have approved an appropriation designed to commence the consolidation of information processing in the Executive Branch, necessitating implementation as soon as practicable; and

WHEREAS, the coordination of information processing activities of all State Government agencies will effectuate the most practicable consolidation of data installation in a manner that will effectively service the needs of State Government; and

WHEREAS, the coordination of information processing activities of all State Government agencies will provide information processing guidance and systems development assistance to all agencies of State Government; and

WHEREAS, the coordination of information processing activities of all State Government agencies will result in the most effective and efficient use of the State's resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, THOMAS H. KEAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of this State, do hereby order and direct:

1. There shall be established within the Department of the Treasury an Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems (OTIS). In addition to the functions, powers and duties set forth herein, the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems shall exercise the functions and perform the duties given to the State Treasurer pursuant to P.L. 1984, c.34, Sections 9-13.

2. The Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems shall be responsible for establishing information processing policy; effecting the most practical consolidation of information processing facilities in a manner to most effectively serve the needs of State Government on a comprehensive basis; and coordinating the information processing activities of the Executive Branch of State Government.

3. The Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems shall consolidate the operational responsibilities of the existing data centers within the Departments of Human Services, Labor, Law and Public Safety, and Transportation along with their funding, personnel, equipment, powers, duties and functions. The Financial Management and Data Center located within the General Services Administration, Department of the Treasury, will not be transferred to the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems at this time.

4. The State Treasurer shall prepare, for submission to the Legislature, an Executive Reorganization Plan, drafted in accordance with the Executive Reorganization Act of 1969, N.J.S. 52:14C-1 et seq., that will provide for the transfer of the Financial Management and Data Center from the General Services Administration, Department of the Treasury, to the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems. The State Treasurer shall seek the assistance of the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Attorney General in drafting this plan.

5. The Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems shall establish a schedule for the orderly transfer of the remaining information processing personnel and equipment from throughout the Executive Branch of State Government to the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems.

6. The Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems with each State department or agency receiving federal funding for data processing programs shall comply with all Federal regulations pertaining to State Goverment Centralized Data Processing Facilities.

7. The Office of Telecommunications and Information systems shall be coordinated by an administrator who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the State Treasurer.

8. The administrator, subject to the approval of the State Treasurer, shall organize the work in such units as is determined to be necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems and shall assign such employees to those units as may be determined to be necessary for the performance of the functions assigned.

9. All agencies of State Government are directed to cooperate fully with the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems and with each other to insure the effectiveness of information processing in State Government.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal
this 17th day of October in the
Year of Our Lord, one thousand
nine hundred and eighty-four, and
of the Independence of the United
States, the two hundred and ninth.

/s/ Thomas H. Kean
GOVERNOR